Sunday, January 12, 2014

The 11th annual Sustainable Energy Conference, will be held on April 22-23, 2014, NCSU McKimmon Center
1101 Gorman St. Raleigh, North Carolina. It will be hosted by the State Energy Program of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources.
Continuing professional education credits are offered for most of the conference, but vary from session to session and type of credits available. Sign in sheets are required for each session if a participant wishes to receive a composite certificate of attendance, which is emailed about 2 weeks after the conference. Applications for credits are being sent to the following organizations: American Institute of Architecture, American Planning Association, Society of American Foresters, NC Board of Examiners for Engineers and Licensed Surveyors, and US Green Building Council (LEEDS). As credit approvals become available, they will be posted on this website.

Fees for individuals range from $59 up to $189 depending on when you register and your employment (government, commercial, nonprofit, etc). The early registration discounts end on Feb. 28th. The final deadline to register for the conference is April 11th, 2014. Onsite registration will be available, however supplies of materials and catering may be limited to only those who registered in advance.

Sponsors and exhibitors should download the SPONSOR-EXHIBITOR document designed to provide information about the fees and benefits of corporate / organizational participation. You may register on this website with major credit card (click the "register" button above), or use the document to arrange for your sponsorship or exhibit by other means. Exhibit spaces are available on a first come, first served basis and are not assigned until final payment is received. The 8 highest ranking sponsors will have exhibits in the front lobby, and all others will be placed in the exhibit hall area.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM USI Update: Auditing Beyond Energy WRP (3A)
Updates on state laws governing energy and water efficiencies in state buildings and progress toward achieving those goals; the Utility Savings Initiative program's services to assist in managing energy and water use in public buildings; Successful efficiency programs in public buildings; New legislation regarding guaranteed energy performance contracting.

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM High Performance Building Review (3B)
A review of data of energy performance of high performance buildings; discussion about the usefulness of energy modeling and how best to collect and use data to improve energy efficiency.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Energy Storage for Renewable Energy: A Game Changer (4A)
Energy storage (i.e. batteries) hold the promise to change the paradign of integrating renewable energy in the grid. This session will describe current battery technologies and also explore other issues like utility forecasting.
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Small/Mid-Scale Solar: Expanding the NC Solar Market (4B)
NC is now among the top five states nationally for cumulative installed PV capacity. But these numbers reflect the large, utility-scale systems. What is the potential for small and mid-scale solar and how can programs give access to a wide variety of stakeholders and place power generation near load? Other Session topics will explore Solarize Asheville – a residential program and the potential for cooperative solar projects in NC.
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM Combined Heat & Power Resources (4C)

Sustainable Agriculture, Tourism & Biofuels

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Sustainable Agriculture: Making it Work and Making Money in North Carolina (5A)
Sustainable farming practices effectively used in a variety of settings to not only produce organic, healthier foods and protecting the growing environment, but also to produce a profit and promote community sustainability.

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Sustainable Tourism (5B)
How clean energy and sustainable initiatives are making tourism more economical, providing new attractions for visitors and offering new opportunities.

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM Sustainable Business Practices (5C)
An overview sustainable business practices and lessons learned as companies are focusing a new business model that has created a “triple-bottom-line:” People, Planet, Profits – bringing new benefits and opening opportunities to expand profits.

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM LEED Lessons Learned (3E)
Though LEED buildings offer owners and occupants desirable green features, there are some aspects of the projects that do not turn out as expected. Examining some LEED buildings and highlighting lesson about design, construction and actual performance.

Renewables

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM NC Wind Power (4D)
NC has several proposed large-scale onshore windfarms and an enviable offshore wind resource. This session will discuss onshore projects and siting processes as well as exploring the NC wind leasing status and potential for projects.

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Biomass in NC (4E)
Many have said Biomass will play a key role in NC – providing power 24/7. Biomass resources, policies, and programs that impact biomass resources will be highlighted in this session. Other topics include an update on animal waste technologies and programs, the expanding pellet industry, and incentive programs.

Sustainable Agriculture, Tourism & Biofuels

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Biofuels: Poised to Grow (5D)

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Sustainability 101 for Universities (5E)
Both administrators and faculty play an important role in guiding the direction of a university. What are some effective ways for administrators, faculty, staff and students to advance institutional sustainability?

Speaker: Richard Newell

Dr. Richard G. Newell is the Gendell Professor of Energy and Environmental Economics at the Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University and Director of Duke's university-wide Energy Initiative. In 2009 he was confirmed by the Senate as the head of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the agency responsible for official U.S. government energy statistics and analysis, where he served until 2011. Dr. Newell has also served as the Senior Economist for energy and environment on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. He is on the Board of Directors and is a University Fellow of Resources for the Future, where he was previously a Senior Fellow. He is a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research and has provided expert advice and consulted with many private, governmental, non-governmental, and international institutions.

Dr. Newell has published widely on the economics of markets and policies for energy, the environment, and related technologies, including incentives for technological innovation and adoption. He has served on numerous boards and National Academy of Science (NAS) expert committees related to energy, environment, and innovation, including the NAS committees on Energy R&D, Innovation Inducement Prizes, Energy Externalities, and Energy Efficiency. He has also participated in the National Petroleum Council (NPC) studies on the Future of Transportation Fuels, the North American Resource Base, and Global Oil and Gas. Dr. Newell holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University, an M.P.A. from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and a B.S. and B.A. from Rutgers University.